Reno's Date With the Vampire's Sister
by Anya Urameshi
Summary: Complete. Reno loses a bet and finds himself having to work up the nerve to ask the girl he likes out on a date. But he soon finds out that asking Tanis Valentine out is going to be the EASIEST part of the date. RenoOC
1. Asking

Of all the stupid things Reno had ever done in his life, he was pretty sure this was the worst. He never should have tried to bet with those guys. He should've known he would loose. He should've _known_. After all, Lady Luck had never liked him before, why should she she start _now? _But worst of all, was what he got by loosing. It was this price he had to pay that made the bet so bad in the first place.

He knew it wouldn't have been so bad, if some small part of him hadn't wanted to do this in the first place. Then, he could've just gotten it over with and never thought twice about it. But this was something he wanted. This was something the guys constantly teased him about. Looking back, Reno knew that was probably the reason Rude ha put it up as his penalty for losing in the first place.

(Damn,) Reno found himself thinking as he slowly trudged down the streets of the city. (I can't even remember what we bet on.) And that, only seemed to make it all worse, because it ment that whatever the bet had been about, it hadn't been anything important or meaningful. Infact, Reno was almost completely a hundred-percent sure that the whole point of this stupid bet he could no longer remember was just so that they could all manuever him into this position. This potientially life-threatening position that could possibly get him killed.

Suddenly, Reno felt the urge to turn around, run home, and hide. But he couldn't do that. He had made his bed, though he couldn't remember where or why, and now he had to lie _in _it, not _under _it. He just had to-

-walk up that sidewalk-

-ascend those stairs-

-ring that ceepy doorbell-

-and ask one simple but completely life-changing question-

"Tanis will you go on a date with me?"

---------------------

Tanis Valentine -adoptive sister of the great "vampire", Vincent Valentine, five foot three with off-the-shoulder, chestnut brown hair, slightly wavy and always held in a high ponytail by the pink-bow ribbon she had gotten from Tifa Lockhart as a sign that she was part of the family, except for the few short strands that fell out to frame her face and the shaggy bangs that almost always fell into her deep brown, almost black eyes, but were most usually held out of them by her gold-wire framed glasses- stared at Reno in complete disbelief. She knew in her mind that there was no way in all the hells that she could've heard him correctly. But, somehow, she also knew that she had.

Reno had just asked her on a date.

RENO had just asked HER on a DATE.

And now, he was staring at her expectantly waiting for a reply, but Tanis couldn't make her mouth work enough to give him one. She just stared at him, dumbfounded, wondering at this strange feeling in her chest, until finally she was snapped out of her stupor by the sound of his voice.

"Righ, what was I thinking," Reno sighed. "Why would you even, I mean, hell, you hate me, and this was so stu-" He shook his head, and turned to go. "I never shoulda..."

"Yes."

The redhead paused, and turned back around, blue eyes wide and mouth hanging open stupidly. "Wait. What?" He blanched suddenly as a thought hit him. "Oh, Shiva, you _really _DO hate me?!"

"No dork," Tanis covered her mouth and giggled slightly. "I ment 'yes, I will go on a date with you.' Sorry, it took a minute for my brain to connect to my mouth, but I didn't think you were serious."

"You thought..." Reno blinked. "But, I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have spent the whole walk up to this creepy mansion worrying that you would get mad at me when I told you that I only worked up the guts to ask you since I lost a bet with Rude, Tseng, and Elena and the condition of my loss was that I had to ask you out, because the guys know I'm completely crazy about you and...oh crap I can't believe I just told you all that..."

"So, where are we going?" Tanis asked, nonchalently studying her fingernails. "And what time. Or, were we going to go now, because if we are, I'd like to tell Vincent bye."

Reno stared at the brunette blankly and she broke into a wide grin. "What?" She asked. "Despite your reasons, you still asked me on a date because you like me, and I'm still accepting." She paused. "Unless...you're retracting your offer."

"NO! No! It still stands and, we can go whenever you want! Anywhere you want!" Reno nodded vigorously.

"Give me five minutes," Tanis replied, with a small wink, leaving the redhead to do a small victory dance in her living room.


	2. Dinner

"Maybe it was on the next street over..."

Reno glanced up intime to see the girl in front of him frown in dissapointment. Despite the snow on the ground and the definite cold chill in the mid-December air, Tanis Valentine didn't seem to notice the weather. She wore her usual outfit, a black dress covered mostly by a too-big, dark-blue sweater with a black hood and same-colored sleeves that ended at her fingertips. The sweater ended about six-inches above where the actual dress ended at her knees. Her beige boots came up to mid-calf and striped blue-and-black stockings -a gift from Yuffie Kisaragi, the GREATEST ninja of all time (as she loved to proclaim)- ascended the rest of the way to her knees.

Normally, a dark-blue obi encircled her waist -under the sweater- and in it would rest her weapons. But today, she had forgone the obi and opted to just hold her two small _shukusan _fans -one with a black handle and pink cherry-blossam embroidery, the other brown-handled with light blue peony embroidery; named _Sakura _and _Botan _repectively- inside the big, front pocket of her hoodie. From experience. Reno knew that when either of these weapons were opened they revealed an iron-blade edge that could cut through almost anything with a deadly force.

Her main weapon, usually slung over her shoulder with a black cord, was today left behind at home. It was almost weird to see Tanis without _Hinageshi_, the giant fan with the blood-red handle and scarlet-hued poppies sprinkled across the iron-laced paper as embroidery. Tanis's favorite, and deadliest, weapon. The weapon Reno had often found himself on the receiving end of. And he had thought Tifa Lockhart was scary...

Unaware of this thought process, the girl sat down on a street bench with a small sigh and began to fiddle with the ends of her skirt. "Oh, dear...I could of sworn it was here!" Tanis glanced to the side as Reno flopped down beside her, casually dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt under his old blue uniform jacket. He glanced to the side and smiled.

"It's alright," he assured her. "Why don't we just head over to Spike and Bar-girl's place? They have good food and drink."

"I hope you mean soda," she muttered.

"Why? You're old enough to drink...I think..."

"Something like that, but the last time I even sipped wine I almost blew down the mansion with a hurricane I accidentally created."

"So...no alcohol for you then. How about hot chocolate?"

"Sounds great."

---------------------

And so, that's how the unlikely couple found themselves sitting at a small booth in Seventh Heaven, trying valiently to fend of the knowing smiles Tifa Lockhart was shooting at them. Ever since the conversation she and Tanis had had upon entering, the martial artist had been doing that.

**Flashback**

With a delicate tinkling sound the door had oened to admit two new customers. Tifa Lockhart glanced up happily, and smiled at the two people who entered. She quickly moved around the bar and gave Tanis a hug. "Tanis! It's been awhile! What brings you here?" She asked.

Reno did admit, she had a right to be surprised. They had come _all the way_ from Nimbleheim, just to go to _her _bar. But then, he himself had gone all the way from _Edge _to _Nimbleheim _in the first place just to ask the lovely girl beside him out to dinner...

"Reno brought me," Tanis replied, with a smile of her own. "Um, can we get a table, Miss Tifa?"

"Just Tifa, and of course!" Tifa exclaimed, leading them over to a booth. She watched both slide in on either side of the table, and seemed to finally register that Reno was, infact, there as well. Her eyes widened slightly, and her mouth formed an "oh", before breaking out into a bigger grin. She leaned down and glanced back and forth between the two, before her gaze landed on Tanis. "So," she stated, almost conversationally, "Reno brought you, hm?"

Tanis glanced up. "Yes." She replied. "I said that." She gave Tifa a confused look. The older girl just continued to smile.

"So that means you two came, _together_?" She asked. Tanis nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Ye-es..." She said. "I think that was implied..."

Reno felt his head hit the table with a thump. He knew where this was going, and was cursing himself for not realizing this would happen.

"Like, on a _date_?" Tifa asked. By then, Tanis was starting to show signs of annoyance. Reno had to admit, the ghost-girl definately lasted a lot longer than he would have. He would have already bitten the Bar-Owner's head off and left. Infact, he would have already if it hadn't been for...

"Yes," Tanis replied, her voice taking on a terse note that strongly reminded Reno of her adopted brother. "Like on a _date_. Is there anything else, or can we eat now?"

"Sure!" Tifa chirped happily. "Infact, order whatever you want! It's on the house!" She then practically skipped (a moderately disturbing sight for Reno) off to the bar's back room.

"Eat fast," Tanis suggested. "I can almost hear the phone being dialed. Any second now Yuffie's going to come running in, conveniently out on an adventure rather than back in Wutai attending to her Princess duties, and then we'll never be able to leave."

"Or worse," Reno added, "she's calling Spike, who will come storming in demanding my intentions before chopping my head off with his giant sword."

"Nah. Cloud would just walk in, roll his eyes, and leave. It's Cid we have to worry about."

"Damn, and I thought MY friends were bad..."

**End Flashback**

(At least she's giving us dinner on the house, ) Reno thought with a grin. (More money for later.)

He glanced across the table at Tanis, who was steadily eating whatever it was she had ordered. He'd lost track after the second helping. The girl seemed determined to take advantage of Tifa's "free food" offer, and had already out-eaten _him_. But, Reno didn't really mind. At least he wasn't paying for it, and Tanis appeared content. That was all that _really _mattered.

"Hey, when you get through," he started, smiling as she glanced up, "we can go see a movie or something. You can still pick, if you want."

Tanis swallowed and nodded. "Okay. But you can pick, since I picked were we ate." Truthfully, she had no idea what he was talking about, but wasn't willing to admit it.

"Well, technically," Reno replied. "I picked in the end. But, oh well." He glanced away in thought. "Let's see..." He closed his eyes in thought. "I think...how about...um..." He opened his eyes and smiled again. "Yeah! I remember Rude saying that _The Ring _was playing!" He turned back to Tanis, who was giving him a dubious look. "He said it's supposed to be good! I've never actually seen it though..."

"O-ka-ay..." Tanis still appeared skeptical. "Well, we can go see that one, I guess. As long as it's not really scary or something..." She frowned, as Reno tried not to laugh at the irony of HER being afraid of scary movies.

"I don't think it is. Rude said it's about some lady watching a movie with her son, or something like that..."

"Well, that actually sounds kind of boring."

"Nah, I just can't remeber the rest. I bet it's really awesome."

"Okay." Tanis scooted out and turned toward Tifa, who was wiping down the bar. "Um...Mi- erm, Tifa? We're leaving okay?"

"Have fun!" Tifa called, with a mischievious smile. Suddenly, Reno was extremely glad none of the other members of Avalanche has shown up...


	3. Movie

"I-I think, I'm having second thoughts..."

"Maybe, it's not as bad as it looks?"

"It looks like that lady is about to be killed by an evil demon-girl coming out of the picture-box!"

"Well, the girl did tell her she was going to die in seven days..."

Tanis let out a scream and buried her face in Reno's chest as the stringy-haired girl proceeded to literally scare her victim to death. Suddenly, Reno really wished he had paid better attention to exactly what Rude had said about this movie. He also felt a bit like screaming himself, but decided he didn't want Tanis to freak-out and trash the movie theatre in a very poltergeistly-fashion. So, instead, he reached his arms around the smaller girl and hugged her tightly to calm her, and himself.

"Maybe we should leave," he whispered, staring avidly at the disturbingly-terrifying movie on the big screen before him. He felt Tanis shake her head. Her glasses poking into his chest.

"N-no..." her muffled voice said. "W-we already paid for the ti-tickets...we can't ju-just lea...ve..."

"Yes we can." Reno replied. "Just like this-" he satrted to stand, but Tanis refused to move. "Come on, Tan, if you're this scared, you really shouldn't-"

"N-nope! I-I'm f-fine!"

"..." Reno sighed. "Then why are your nails digging into my chest?"

'Eep!" She jerked back suddenly, and almost dragged Reno down because he still had his arms around her. "S-sorry!" She managed to squeak. Just as something jumped out on the movie screen. She let out another small shriek and buried her face back into his chest. He could feel her glasses digging in again and pushed her head back just enough so that he could pull them off of her face, afraid that he might break them.

"There," he muttered, folding and putting them into his pocket. "Now you may proceed with the death grab you've got me in." Tanis started to protest and he pulled her in tighter so she wouldn't see the next victim being killed. Unfortunately, she still heard it, and whimpred slightly.

(Okay...) Reno thought to himself. (I knew she didn't like scary movies, but woah...) He glanced down at the top of her head. (Hard to believe this is the same girl who took on a Cold-Fire dragon almost single-handedly. It's almost funny that she...) He rubbed her hair and sighed. (Damn. I really need to get her out of here...)

"Hey," he whispered. "Tanis? I think they'll give us our money back if we tell them you almost had a heart-attack."

She didn't respond, so he moved her head slightly to see her face, which was serenely blank on account of her having passed out. (Uh-oh.) Reno cringed and lifted the girl into his arms, ignoring the complaints of other patrons as he shoved past them and out into the light of the theatre's main lobby. He then proceeded over to the ticket desk and glared at the teenage boy standing behind it.

"Woah!" he boy whistled. "What happened to HER?" He surveyed Tanis with a worried expression.

"She passed out," Reno growled. "Because that stupid movie practically scared her to death!"

The teenager blanched and stepped back slightly. "Gee...sorry dude!" He said. "I can, like, give back your money, or whatever! I mean, sorry about your girlfriend. If you give me your tickets, I'll just-" Reno thrust out the two tickets, effectively shutting him up. The teenager took them and popped open the cash register, quickly shoving the money into Reno's waiting hand. "Th-there you go, dude!" He closed the register and watched Reno stalk off, with the unconcious Tanis still in his arms. "Um...have a nice day?"

Luckily, Reno hadn't heard him.


	4. Ice Cream

Tanis had the vague sense of falling. Darkness swirled around her and she couldn't pull herself from it. She was trapped; doomed to drift forever in this abyss. Pain shot through her head and she grabbed at it. Screams ripped from her throat as the darkness slowly consumed her.

//Not me. Yuffie.// A voice corrected. //I am not Yuffie Kisaragi. I am Tanis Val- Tanis! Now, wake-up!//

Brown eyes shot open and Tanis felt her head spin as she sat up fast. Something fell off her chest onto her lap as she moved, but she didn't notice. Instead, she shook herself and glanced around, vaguely wondering why everything was so blurry and indistinct...

And had she really just been asleep? That was new. Must be a side-effect...

"Oh, hey, you're awake now!" A face materialized in her periphiel vision, efectively cutting off her train of thought, but all the features were running together and Tanis's eyes began to hurt as she tried to make out who it was. The person moved and a flash of bright red caught her eye.

"Reno...?"

"Geez...you're half-blind aintcha?" He asked, slipping something onto Tanis's face, and suddenly the world was in sharp focus. And, wow, Reno was sitting pretty close to her, wasn't he?

"You're eyes are blue," she said quietly, leaning towards him slightly, and almost giggling when he jerked back blushing. "Sorry, but, where are we?"

"Outside the theatre," he replied. "You passed out during the movie, so I brought you out here for air."

Tanis glanced down at her lap, finally noticing the blue jacket that had fallen there earlier. Slowly, she picked it up. (He must've put it over me while I was unconcious...) "Thank-you, Reno." She smiled brightly at him, holding out the jacket. "Was the movie good?"

"Don't know, I've been out here since you fainted. 'Bout twenty minutes ago," he sighed. "Missed the rest, but don't worry!" Reno stated, holding up a finger before she could say anything. "I got my money back so we can go watch another one, if you'd like."

Tanis gazed back at the posters behind her back. "Maybe we should just go."

Reno's face fell. "Oh, you're ready to go home?"

"Hmm?" She turned tio gaze at him with a confused expression. "No. I ment we could go somewhere else." She raised an eyebrow. "Unless...YOU want to go home already?"

"NO!" He shouted, before blushing slightly at his outburst. "I mean, um, where do you want to go?"

"Hmmm..." She stood, wobbling abit before walking on. Reno moved to steady her as she stumbled, and was startled when he felt her move his arm so that she could lean against him, placing it firmly around her shoulders. She then smiled innocently at his dumbfounded expression and continued, "How about YOU choose this time." Again, but what the hell?

--------------------------------------------------------

"Um...I'd like two cokes and an ice cream sundae," Reno (finally) ordered, after much debate. The kid behind the counter just stared at him. Some punk with spiky-blonde-haired and blue eyes of about fifteen or so (somehow he found himself being reminded of a younger Cloud...) staring at Reno like he was seeing a ghost. After a few more minutes, the redhead had started to get ticked. He put an arm up on the counter and glared at the boy. "Look kid," he growled. "I know I'm probably the best looking guy you've seen in awhile..."

This seemed to snap the kid out of his trance. He blushed and turned away quickly. "O-oh! No that's-I'm sorry! You just look like a friend of mine!" The blonde snuck a look back over his shoulder as he almost spilled the drink he was pouring. "Geez...you could almost be his twin, if the eye tatoos were vertical..." He finally managed to fix the order and all but shoved it at Reno, who began to pull out his wallet.

"How much?" He asked. The kid shook his head.

"Just take it..." then he hurriedly went back to pretending to clean the pop machine. As Reno was walking away (marveling at how this was probably the cheapest date he'd ever been on, no doubt), another redhead aproached the stand. A seventeen-year-old who could've been Reno's clone, except the his hair was shorter and spiked-back in a weird hedge-hog style.

"Yo, Roxas," he called, leaning against the counter. "You've been working all night! Make someone else take over so we can go ride the rollercoaster!"

The kid, Roxas, jumped about a foot and spun around. "Axel! It's you!" He yelped.

"Course," Axel replied with a grin. "Who else would I be?"

"You're never going to believe this," Roxas said. "But there was this guy who was here about two minutes ago..."

--------------------------------------------------------

"Here ya go," Reno stated, handing Tanis her ice cream sundae and coke. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"It's a difficult choice," she said, giggling slightly as she glanced around at the various carnival attractions. "I've never been to one of these before. They didn't have them when I was...erm, younger."

"SERIOUSLY?! I thought that Wutai would have tons of them since-" He trailed off into mumbling as he saw Tanis giving him a curious look.

"Wutai? What does WUTAI have to do with anything?" She asked.

"I thought that was where you were from."

"Who told you that?"

Reno cleared his throat. "Um...well...it was...you see...So you're not?" He quickly asked.

"Well, no, I've been there before, but I'm not FROM there..." she pursed her lips. "I don't know why anyone would...oh well...the point is, I'm not. Hell, Wutai wasn't even AROUND back then..."

"Really?" Reno asked. "Then why did your file say-oh damn." He cursed as she whirled around to stare at him in surprise.

"What? My FILE?" Her voice had an incredulous tone about it, and Reno found himself stepping back slightly as he saw something glint in her eyes, just before he saw a spark shoot down her hair. "You READ my FILE?!"

The wind began to pick up speed as Tanis's look became decidely more angry, and scary, and Reno backed away farther as she slowly advanced.

"I-I-and-it-but you-" He floundered as he tried to think of a good way to tell the love of his life (wait a second...) that he had read her files because he had once been assigned to kill her. (I'd have never willingly gone through with it, but it's the principal of the matter.) Somehow, it wasn't coming to him. (IS there a good way to tell someone THAT?) "Um..." he squeezed his eyes shut and jumped forward to hug her, ignoring the pain that shot through his body as he touched her. "I'm sorry!"

The fierce winds stopped almost abruptly, and Reno cracked an eye open at the odd sound that followed in the silence of it's wake.

"What's so damn funny?" He muttered, too relieved to be truly annoyed as he pulled back to see her.

"You," she replied, lifting her face to smile up at him. "Panicing. It was so hilarious." She then stepped back out of his embrace. "Though, it was really all my fault. Sorry for being irrational. I keep forgetting what you're line of work calls for." She pulled a face. "And, I suppose it was touch and go for abit there."

"So..." he ventured hopefully," you're not mad anymore?"

She turned to give him a wicked grin. "Oh, no, I'm still pissed. By the way, you owe me another ice cream."

"Huh? Why?" Reno glanced down at her slightly melted treat. "What's wrong with it?"

"It got smashed."

"Huh? But it-" He was suddenly cut off by the feeling of severe cold an stickiness, as Tanis shoved her sundae into his face.

----------------------------------------------------

"Um, sir, are you aware that you have ice cream in your hair?"

Reno glared at the pink-haired girl behind the counter of the ice cream stand. "Just get me the damn sundae."

"Oh, um, right away, sir!" She said with a forced smile turning to fill his order. (What a rude jackass.) Her inner-self screamed. (I hope he gets hit by a meteorified-toilet seat!) With the dairy-product in hand, she turned back to Reno, still wearing the same cheerful smile. "Here you go, sir! That'll be 2.50!"

He handed her the money and she thanked him politely. (And I hope you burn in hell!)

Reno glowered as he stalked his way back over to where Tanis sat with a serene smile on her face. He temporarily contemplated paying her back, until he remembered that if it came down to a fight, her weather magic could kick his ass on a GOOD day, and he currently didn't have a weapon on him. Besides, the whole mess was his fault. Technically.

But that didn't make the unpleasant headache or sticky feeling go away.

"Here's your damn ice cream," he growled. She took it, her face taking on a worried expression, and stood, reaching out a hand to touch his forehead.

"//Curaga//," she whispered, and her hand breifly glowed blue, causing an intersting sensation to wash over him. Reno closed his eyes with a sigh, a small smile lighting over his face. "That better?" Tanis asked, as she moved to lower her hand, but he grabbed it and pressed it back to his forehead.

"Just a minute," he breathed, and Tanis blushed slightly as she watched him. Finally, with another sigh, he pulled her hand back down, but didn't let go of it. "So, what now?"

All was forgiven. Thank Shiva.

-------------------------------------------------

//About ten mintues later...//

"Oh! Look!" Tanis exclaimed, pointing excitedly at something off to Reno's left. "Giant teacups!" And then she was off, tugging on his hand as she passed and half-dragging him towards a ride that was, indeed, made up of giant, brightly colored, pastel, teacups.

Upon reaching the ride, Reno tried to give some of the tickets he had purchased earlier to the boy sitting by the control panel, but he didn't seem to notice-

-as he was too busy sleeping.

"Hey, yo," Reno leaned over the barrier and shook the boy's shoulder.

"Hm, wah-?" He groaned, jerking up slowly. "Oh, great, customers...what a drag..." With a yawn he took the tickets and reached to open the gate. He watched in bemusement as Reno and Tanis secured themselves a light blue teacup, not bothering to move to help them. Insteadm he glanced around to see if there were any other wannabe riders. Nobody was there, so he turned back to his only passengers, letting out another small yawn.

"Whatever, since you two are the only riders I've had all day, just stay on as long as you want." He pressed a button and the ride creaked into motion. "Use the table to spin, if you want, I don't really care." He yawned again, and moved to lay his head back down. "Just yell when you want off...or whatever..." And with that he was asleep again.

Meanwhile, Reno and Tanis were both to preoccupied with the ride to hear what he had said. Too bad for them.

------------------------------------------------

//Yuffie's inner point of view//

So Reno-teme thought he could just up and take my precious little future sister-in-law (sorta, kinda, maybe, one day, if Vincent can get his head out of his-um, yeah) out on an excursion of love without running it by ME first, then he's got another thing coming!

I mean, I'M the reason he even met her in the FIRST place! If it hadn't been for my BRILLIANT ninja prowass, we NEVER would've found (stolen) Tanis's pendant! And we NEVER would've figured out how to use it to make her not-so-ghosty anymore(technically, MURI figured it out, but it all came out the same). And Reno wouldn't have even BEEN THERE if I hadn't selflessly (threatened him with every peice of blackmail I could possibly get my hands on) graciously (dragged him kicking and screaming) allowed (forced) him to come with me on my quest! So there!

//She then attempted a dramatic jump down from the lightpole she stood upon, but ended up losing her balance and falling.//

//Luckily, a briar bush was there to break her fall.//


	5. Goodnight Kiss

Reno had a feeling. It wasn't a very good feeling. Infact, it was downright terrible. Horrible. _Bad._

"I think I'm gonna puke," he groaned. "When's that kid gonna stop this thing, yo?"

Tanis grabbed at the table to slow the teacups spinning. "You want to get off?" She inquired. Reno nodded, and she scooted over to him, pulling him into a hug. "Close your eyes. Yuffie says this is a bit disconcerting."

Reno wondered what she was talking about, as he suddenly found himself drop out of, no _through_, the side of the teacup. His eyes widened as one of the bracers passed through him and her. Tanis pulled him to his feet and began to lead him away from the ride, past it's sleeping attendant.

"That was-" he paused and glanced down as she led him, literally, through the fence, "-really weird."

"I told you to close your eyes," but she was smiling.

"How do you do that anyways?" It was something he had been meaning to ask her. "I mean, I know how you did it before, but now-"

"One of the perks of being a ghost," Tanis replied, smile slightly strained as she reached into her sweater to pull her turtle-pendant necklace out. "Remember?"

Reno stared at the blue-materia that made-up the turtle's back. The only thing connecting the girl he liked (loved?) to the physical plane of existance. "But, you're well, not-so-ghosty anymore. So why-?"

"It's still there. I just have to concentrate harder. I'm still, well, you know."

"Yah."

A depressing tone swept over them, and Reno realized that this was decidedly the end of this night. Their eyes met, and he saw the intense lonliness in her eyes. Something which had eaten away at her spirit for a very long time.

(She won't be alone anymore. Not while I'm still alive.)

Reno stepped closer to her. He reached out and pulled Tanis into a hug, reasting his head on her shoulder.

"Thank-you for coming with me."

"You are welcome. This evening has been so much fun," he heard her sigh. "I just wish-"

"We can go out again, if you want," Reno offered. "Anytime you want. Find me, wherever I am, and I'll drop whatever I'm doing, and we'll just go."

"Even if you're at work?"

"Especially if I'm at work."

"President Shinra will be pissed."

"Eh, he's alway pissed. Nothing new."

"Thank-you, Reno," Tanis pulled back and smiled up at him sadly. "Time to go home?"

"Yah."

And so, they left.

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//Yuffie's inner point of view//

What the hell are those two idiots on? (And where can I get some?) The night is young! (Well, technically morning, but come on!)

I'd have thought Reno would be a bit more fun than this! He's a freakin one-man dating army, after all. So, why is he being so pathetic with Tanis? I mean, I didn't even get to make my grand entrance! What the hell?

Why isn't he wooing her? Putting the moves on? Trying to get under her gods-damned sweater?!

Damn. He must really like her. That's...kinda sad...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And so, the date ended in a very anticlimatic way. Judging by how it had begun, Reno had almost expected to be hit by a car, or for his vehicle to crash. He was almost dissapointed when neither happened. And, when he found the Nimbleheim Mansion still standing in all of it's depressing glory.

They walked slowly up the walk to drag out the moment. Neither wanted to leave, but they knew that it would. When they reached the door, Reno leaned again sta the doorjam, and Tanis turned to face him.

"So, my files still exist?" She asked in a casual tone, her eyes belying none of her initial anger over the fact.

"Sorta. Y'see," Reno replied, pausing to think about how he was going to answer that, "they're there, but, they're, like, not, y'know? Barely anything still legible, or legit, obviously. I guess."

"Oh."

Akward silence. _Very _akward. With much gaze-shifting. Reno really hated this kind of thing.

"So..." he glanced back at her. They stared at each other for a moment, before she finally rolled her eyes.

"Fogetting anything?" She asked. When he persisted with the blank stare, Tanis found herself grinning for no real reason. "Well, guess it's up to me then."

She took a step forward, grabbed hold of his jacket front, and tugged him down so that their lips met. A few seconds later, he began to kiss her back, lifting his arms to pull her into a hug.

Finally, when she judged that his breath was probably running out, she pulled back. "I might just storm your office someday for another one of those."

"Rude's gonna be pissed."

"Eh, he's always pissed. Nothing new."

She gave him another peck, then pulled away completely. "And while I don't sleep, you do. And you have work tommorrow, I presume."

"Goodnight," Reno replied, knowing that Tanis could bodily throw his ass back to his vehicle if she wanted to. And probably would if he didn't leave.

"Goodnight, Reno," she said, and then, rather than bothering with opening the door, she turned and walked straight through it.


	6. Epilogue: Storming the Office

A/N: Yes, this is the end. I hope you've all enjoyed my story. Oh, and I've revised the chapters, removing accidental plot-holes, and adding a few things here and there. Just so you know. I'm sorry that I couldn't explain away all of the loose-ends, but that would ruin my other stories. But, now that I'm through with this one, I will be beginning work on the one which will explain it all. It'll be called _Blood Fire_, and should be up by Halloween.

Epilogue:

(a.k.a. the day after)

(a.k.a. the storming of the office)

Reno sighed as he tapped his pen against his desk. He was supposed to be doing his work, which was boring on a normal day, but was having trouble concentrating. His thoughts kept drifitng back to-

"So, how'd it go?"

Reno lazily glanced up, then started back in surprise to see the people all crowded around his desk. Rude, Elena, Kera, hell, even Tseng and Rufus had appeared out of nowhere. Infact, it had been the president himself who had asked.

"What the hell?" He backed away farther into his chair, which did no good, because they all just leaned in closer. "Um, yo, guys? Personal space?"

"Oh, sorry," Elena apologized. The only one who bothered, Reno noticed. And they all moved back.

"Thanks, now, once again, What The Hell?"

"We wanna know how your date went," Kera replied innocently.

'More specifically," Tseng added, "is there going to be another?"

"And just how the hell is any of that you're business?" Reno demanded. "Excluding Rude and Elena, why should I tell any of you?"

"I'm your boss," Tseng replied.

"I'm the president," Rufus added.

"I'm your roommates girlfriend," Kera stated with a wicked grin.

"Damn," he swore. "Fine. It-"

He paused as a movement by the door caught his eye. "If that's Yuffie, I'm gonna kill someone."

This effectively got the attention of his fellow Turks, and they all turned to face the door, as a hand pushed through it, followed by the upper half of Tanis Valentine, who paused to stare at he gathering with wide brown eyes.

"Damn," she muttered. Then, she saw Reno and brightened, before proceeding into the room, past the startled Turks, straight through Reno's desk, and up to Reno himself, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulling him into a long, deep kiss.

"I guess that means it went well," Kera stated lightly, as the forgotten workmates beat a hasty retreat out of the premises.

"Please try not to have sex in the workplace," Rufus added, chuckling lightly when Reno flipped him off over his girfriend's shoulder.


End file.
